Sleeping Sun
by gryphonlady
Summary: Team 7 has been given an important mission to escort a small group of travelers from the Hidden Village of time up to the far northern Country of Spring. Their charge, a young child needing special surgery, is being targted by a terrorist group. Can Team
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places in Naruto. The Village of Time doesn't even belong to me, my sister created it (as far as we know XD) and she's letting me write within the same universe as her story, "Bless the Child". Erm... Susa is mine though.

Thunder rolled in the distance as storm clouds drifted in over the village of Konoha, turning the sky a dark grey. Standing on near a bridge, three young teens watched as the storm moved in, looking around for cover in case it started to rain. One of the teens, a spiky haired blonde dressed in orange let out a bored sigh, folding his hands behind his head.

"Kakashi-sensei is late again," complained a pink haired girl, the only female in the trio. She crossed her arms, her face taking on an angered look. "You would think he'd show up on time at least once. Especially with a bad storm coming in!"

"Sasuke! Sakura! Naruto!" called a masculine voice from above the group. Crouching on one of the tall bridge posts was a man with silver hair. One of his eyes was covered by his forehead protector, but the other one gleamed with silent laughter. "Sorry I'm late. I got lost-"

"Liar!" Naruto and Sakura shouted at the same time, pointing angrily at their teacher.

Kakashi coughed slightly into his hand and jumped down from the post, looking at the trio. "Well, in any case, we have a mission-"

"A mission!" Naruto asked excitedly, his blue-green eyes lighting up. "What kind of mission?"

"We're accompanying a small party to the Country of Spring," Kakashi answered. "It's an A-class mission."

"A-class?" Sakura blinked. "Kakashi-sensei, who are we guarding?"

"A small group from the Village of Time."

"Village of Time?" Sasuke asked.

"It's a Hidden Village that's very far south," Sakura explained to the dark haired boy, giving him a shy smile. "In fact, up until recently, it was only rumored to exist."

"That's right," Kakashi confirmed. "Up until now no one from the Village of Time has come this far north, and to entrust their people to our village, whom they don't have a formal treaty with, is a big leap of faith, both on our side and theirs."

"Kakashi-sensei, what exactly are they going to the Country of Spring for if they don't even stray as far north as Konoha?" Sasuke asked.

"That information hasn't been given to me yet," Kakashi replied. "I expect we'll find out when we leave tomorrow, but until then I want everyone to get ready and get rest. We leave at dawn tomorrow." And with that the silver haired jounin disappeared, leaving the three teens to mull over the information.

"Why would they stray so far north," Sasuke wondered to himself.

"Maybe the Village of Time is looking to make a treaty with the Country of Spring," Sakura suggested. "Though, that doesn't really make sense, unless they were making treaties with the other villages, but Kakashi said that Konoha doesn't have a treaty with them, so..."

Naruto just stood apart from his teammates, a grin on his face as his mind worked around some other issue. "Alright!" he exclaimed out of the blue.

Sakura's eyebrow twitched and Sasuke just stared at the blonde like he was insane. "What are you all excited about?" the pink haired girl asked.

"If we're going to the Country of Spring, then maybe we'll get to see Koyuki-hime!" Naruto answered happily.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned to leave. "Idiot."

The weather hadn't improved any - the clouds blocked the rising sun and lightning flashed in the distance. However, it hadn't rained yet. Even so, as team 7 met up, each one of them was prepared for the worst weather, everyone wearing rain cloaks.

"Morning," Naruto yawned to his teammates, rubbing his eyes as they all met up outside the village gates.

Neither Sasuke nor Sakura replied though. Both were too busy staring at a wagon that carried both their light supplies and the oddest thing they'd ever seen. Four men sat around a gilded litter, and each of those men were wearing brightly dyed robes embroidered with eye-widening geometrical designs. More startling was the colour of their skin, coal black with an almost blue sheen to it. All four had hair that was so short, it looked more like fuzz than hair. The litter they sat beside was even more startling. Carved of a pale wood, it was gilded with gold leaf at the corners and inlaid with ivory. Bright silk drapes hung over the sides, ornamented with glittering semi-precious stones, protecting whatever was inside.

The jaws of all three genin dropped, and they turned to their teacher, who gave them a slight wave.

"Kakashi-sensei, what's with the box?" Sakura blurted out.

"That's something that will attract attention real fast," Sasuke agreed.

Even Naruto gave his teacher a funny look. "If they wanted protection, wouldn't they have gone for something that didn't glitter so much?"

A soft giggle from inside the litter drew everyone's attention as one of the men drew back the silk drapes. The soft iridescent glow of a chakra shield was the only thing that separated the frailest looking girl the three genin had ever seen from the outside world. She would have had dark brown skin, if she had ever seen the sun, and as it was, her skin looked more ash-coloured then brown. Her hair was short and curly, which did nothing to help her face, which was thin and sharp featured.

"S-she looks like she should be in a hospital, not going on a long trip," Sakura whispered.

The girl looked at the three ninjas and smiled. "I like you," she announced, then leaned back against a pillow and the drape was dropped back into place. Without a second word the wagon lurched forward; the mission had begun. 


	2. Chapter 2

Naruto watched from the cabin door as the four men from the Village of Time stood at the bow of the ship, talking. Not a single one of them seemed bothered by the ship's pitching and rocking in the rough waters. Kakashi and the captain had both tried to convince the men to wait until calmer seas, but the ninjas from the Hidden Village of Time had insisted on setting sail right away. Curious as ever, the blonde leaf ninja had a plan to find out what was going on. It just involved questioning a different source.

He slipped below deck, to the room where the litter carrying the girl had been placed, only to find Sakura reaching for the door knob. Just as she was about to open it, she noticed Naruto and jumped.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto grinned. "You were going to see her too?"

"Er...I was just bringing her something to eat," Sakura said, looking down at a little plate of food in her left hand.

"They already brought her dinner," Sasuke said, scaring both of the teens. The trio looked at each other, silent for a moment. 

"I guess we all had the same idea," Sakura said quietly.

"Well, if those guys up top aren't going to say anything," Naruto said, reaching for the door and giving it a good pull. "Then I'm going to ask someone who will." The door slid open without any resistance. The trio looked inside, then stepped in quietly.

There wasn't much inside, only a few green-shaded lanterns, and a few cases of supplies, and that was it. The only source of light, besides the lanterns, was the dim glow of a large bubble made up entirely of chakra. Sitting inside the bubble, propped up on blankets and pillows, was the girl they'd seen before. Seeing her up close, she looked even more fragile.

She started when she saw them enter, but instead of shrinking away, she pressed right up against the shield, peering at them with seemingly half-dead eyes. "You're the ninjas from Konoha, yes?" she asked them.

"Yes," Sakura said slowly.

The girl sat down at the edge of the shield, sitting indian style, with her chin propped on her hands. "What are your names?"

"Er... Uzumaki Naruto."

"Haruno Sakura."

"Uchiha Sasuke."

The girl smiled. "You have weird names," she stated matter of factly, causing the teens to look at each other. "I'm Susa, daughter of Haimi, daughter of Kiani."

Naruto blinked at the girl's formal introduction, then grumbled under his breath, "and you say we have weird names?"

The girl giggled for a moment, then became serious. "Why did you come down here?"

"Uh... we'd like to ask you some questions," Sakura said, sitting down in front of the girl. "Why are you and your friends in such a hurry to get to the Kingdom of Spring?"

"You mean the others did not tell you?" Susa inquired, as if surprised.

"No," Naruto grumbled. "They haven't said anything to us, the stuck up-"

"They haven't given us any additional information about the mission," Sasuke interrupted, cutting of Naruto's rant.

Susa muttered softly to herself for a moment, then shook her head softly. "If you want to know any information, you just have to ask Huyano; he's the one who's a head shorter then the others."

"He's the one who won't tell us anything!" Naruto snapped.

"Then don't phrase it like a question," Susa chuckled. "He's of lower rank then you, if you order him to give you the information you need, he will have to give it to you."

Sakura blinked, clearly confused. "H-how is it that we outrank him? We're genin..."

"And he isn't of the shinobi caste, so even as genin we out-rank him," Susa explained. "At least... that is how it is for our people. Those who are ninja are born into the shinobi caste, and so it goes for all such people." Susa paused for a moment, shifting her body slightly. "And, I will answer your question. We're going because of the chakra control device that was developed there."

Naruto shuddered involuntarily. He remembered that device too well. Enemy ninjas had placed one on him, as an experiment when the team had last visted the Kingdom of Spring. Then it had been known as the Kingdom of Snow, and the woman they'd been escorting, an actress, had actually turned out to be the country's missing princess. Her uncle had wanted her dead, but he'd been defeated. Naruto's thoughts drifted towards Koyuki-hime for a minute, before snapping back to the present.

"Why on earth would you want that device!" he asked loudly. "There's nothing good about it - it inhibits Chakra use... it makes it painful to even try and use!"

Susa nodded. "Exactly what you said, Uzumaki Naruto. It inhibits Chakra. Which is why I need it."

"Wha?" Naruto blinked, confused.

"I-"

The door swung open a second time, and in came the man that Susa had called Huyano. He fixed the Konoha ninjas with an icy stare.

"Get out," he ordered in a deep voice. "You should not be disturbing the girl."

"We were only asking her a few questions," Sakura replied. "So we can do this mission better."

"If you have any questions you will direct them to me, not the girl," Huyano snapped. "And you should keep you noses in your own business. Now get our of this room now!"

"Wait a minute-" Naruto started.

"Is something wrong here?" asked a new voice. The four bodyguards walked into the room, surveying the situation. Huyano seemed to change from icy to a simpering little servant.

"Nothing. I was just advising our escorts that the child needed to rest."

"I enjoy the company of the Konoha genin," Susa stated. "We were just talking."

The chief bodyguard, a man who's skin was as black as ebony and a head taller than the others smiled at the little girl and gently responded, "It is good that you are making some friends. But you do need your rest, Susa."

"Okay," Susa sighed, easing back into her pillows.

"You three should go back to your teacher."

The trio stood up and walked out of the room, Naruto grumbling under his breath. The door shut quickly behind them, forcing them on their way.

"So, you three had a run in with our friends, did you?" Kakashi asked, not even looking up from the book that he was reading.

"Yeah, but we didn't really learn too much," Sakura admitted. "The jounin seem nice enough though."

"That short man is so... so..." Naruto snarled.

"Kakashi-sensei, did you find anything useful about them?" Sasuke questioned, cutting Naruto off once again, earning a glare from the blonde.

"They're taking the little girl to a hospital in the capital," Kakashi explained, "For a special procedure."

"Procedure?" Sakura blinked.

"Susa told us that they were going for the chakra control device that was developed there," Sasuke told their teacher. "Do you think that the two could be connected?"

"Ah, is that her name?" Kakashi said, smiling under his mask. "The other shinobi have been rather secreative about her."

"They've been secrative about everything!" Naruto ranted. "What is the deal with that?"

"Remember, Naruto, they do come from a a different culture," Sakura said in a slightly irritated tone.

"Sakura has a good point," Kakashi acknowlegded. "Their culture is very different. I think they have a reason to be. I was talking with them earlier, and that girl is the niece of the Tokikage." 


End file.
